Department for Transport

Cycling: Licensing

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible (1) advantages, and (2) disadvantages, of introducing a licensing system for cyclists.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government considered this matter carefully as part of the cycling and walking safety review in 2018, and has no plans to introduce such a system. Cycling brings many benefits, particularly in terms of health and the environment, and the Government is keen to encourage rather than restrict it. Cyclists must respect the rules of the road as set out in The Highway Code and enforcement of cycling offences is a matter for the police. The introduction of a licensing system would be likely to deter many people from cycling and the costs and complexity of introducing and administering such a system, would be likely to outweigh any road safety or other benefits.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Part-time Employment: Coronavirus

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by TimewiseThe Impact of Covid-19 on Part-Time Employees,published in June; and what steps they are taking to support the creation of jobs with flexible working hours.

Lord Callanan: We are aware of the report. ONS data shows fewer people working part time (7.8 million, 24% of all in employment) in the three months to April 2021, than in the three months to February 2020 (8.6 million, 26% of all in employment). Further information on full-time and part-time working can be found on the ONS website. The Government is keen to do more to support flexible working in all its forms. In 2019 the Government committed to consult on making flexible working the default unless employers have good reasons not to. The consultation will be published in due course. My Hon. Friend the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets has also reconvened the Flexible Working Taskforce – a partnership across business groups, trade unions, charities, and government departments – to help inform the Government’s thinking and support employers as we navigate the impact of Covid-19 on future ways of working. Timewise is a valued member of the Taskforce. The Taskforce has been asked to help take forward what we have learned through the pandemic about flexible ways of working. In the immediate phase, the Taskforce will consider the essential practical and legal issues associated with a return to a workplace and an increase in hybrid working. The Taskforce will move on to provide wider advice on best practice, so that employers are better able to support all forms of flexible working – whether the flexibility relates to the amount, timing or location of work.

Paternity Leave and Carers Leave

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government when their response to the consultations on (1) shared parental leave, and (2) carers’ leave, will be published.

Lord Callanan: The Government is committed to delivering our manifesto commitments to make it easier for fathers to take Paternity Leave and to introduce a new employment right to one week of unpaid leave for carers. Information collected through public consultation will inform policy development in both areas. We are currently assessing the responses to the consultation on high-level options for reforming parental leave and pay. Separate to this, we are also conducting a formal evaluation of the Shared Parental Leave and Pay scheme, which has included large-scale, representative, surveys of employers and parents which looked at a broad range of parental leave and pay entitlements. Together, the consultation and the evaluation will give us a fuller picture of how well the current system of parental leave and pay is working for parents and employers. We intend to publish the Government Response to the consultation and the findings of the evaluation later this year. The consultation on Carer’s Leave set out detailed policy proposals to create a new employment right for one week’s unpaid leave. The consultation received a significant number of responses, demonstrating the importance of this issue. The Government response to the consultation will be published in due course, setting out the way forward.

Northern Ireland Office

Coronavirus: Northern Ireland

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recentdiscussions they have had with ministerial colleagues in the Northern Ireland Executive on the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination programmes in Northern Ireland.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Ministerial team in the Northern Ireland Office speak regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive to discuss a wide range of issues, including Northern Ireland’s vaccination programme. Although each devolved administration controls its own public health policy, we have been coordinating our responses to Covid, seeking alignment in policy and approach where appropriate, to ensure we tackle the pandemic effectively. This joined up approach resulted in the UK-wide vaccine rollout for which almost 80% of Northern Ireland’s adult population have received at least one dose of the vaccine. It will be important that we maintain this collective approach as we seek to recover from the pandemic.

Northern Ireland: Devolution

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to legislate for language and cultural matters in Northern Ireland which are currently devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Government announced on 21 June in a Written Ministerial Statement (HLWS100) that should the Northern Ireland Executive not have progressed the legislation for the identity, language and culture package in the New Decade, New Approach agreement by the end of September, the UK Government will take the legislation through the UK Parliament in October 2021. It is the Government’s preference that the Executive deliver its commitment on this carefully balanced package of measures, which was agreed to by the parties and helped to end the three-year political impasse in Northern Ireland.

Coronavirus: Northern Ireland

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they havehad with ministerial colleagues in the Northern Ireland Executive on the extent of COVID-19 testing in Northern Ireland.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Ministerial team in the Northern Ireland Office speak regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive to discuss a wide range of issues, including testing in Northern Ireland. The Minister of State in the Northern Ireland Office has been attending Covid-19 Operations Committee meetings, as have NI Ministers to discuss UK-wide policy and our operational response to Covid-19. Testing is a powerful weapon in our continued fight against the virus. Collaboration between the UK Government and NI Health and Social Care Trusts has enabled over 2.5 million tests in Northern Ireland. We will continue to build on this success with the Executive, exploring further ways to utilise mass testing schemes for Northern Ireland.

Department of Health and Social Care

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Baroness Hayman of Ullock: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage care homes to grant more Essential Caregiver status requests.

Lord Bethell: Our guidance for care homes on visiting and admissions, updated on 17 June, makes clear that all care home residents should be able to nominate an ‘essential care giver’ who may visit the home to attend to essential care needs. Care home managers should work with residents to allow them to nominate the care giver and visits from these individuals should always be supported, including during periods of self-isolation, for example, following an overnight stay in hospital.If a resident or their relative feels that the care home is not following visiting guidance, they should raise the matter with the home. If they are not satisfied that the issue is resolved, the Care Quality Commission can look into any complaints.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of NHS staff who have refused a COVID-19 vaccination, and (2) the impact such refusal has made to the spread of COVID-19 in NHS facilities; whether vaccine refusal amounts to gross misconduct; and if so, what steps they are taking to dismiss any such staff.

Lord Bethell: Information on the number of National Health Service staff who have refused a COVID-19 vaccination is not held centrally. We encourage all National Health Service staff to take up the offer of the vaccine, to help protect themselves and others.For staff who decline the vaccine, employers should consider how best to ensure those staff members and patients are safe. This could include measures such as making sure the appropriate personal protective equipment is being used, that fit testing has been undertaken on the staff member’s FFP3 mask and that employees are aware of infection control standards and have undertaken appropriate training. Employers follow their own local policies and procedures on staff conduct issues on a case by case basis as they arise.

Travel: Quarantine

Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people entering the UK can be accommodated in official quarantine hotels under current arrangements; what plans they have to increase capacity levels in future; and if they have any such plans, by how much.

Lord Bethell: There are currently over 19,000 guests quarantining in hotels. We are working to ensure enough hotel capacity available to meet any further demand from arrivals from ‘red list’ countries. We have ongoing agreements with a number of hotels moving into the summer and we will closely match future demand with available hotel capacity as required.

Department for Education

Curriculum: Social Media

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include social media awareness and training inthe national curriculum.

Baroness Berridge: The department is committed to supporting schools to deliver high quality teaching of Relationships, Sex Education and Health Education (RSHE), which includes teaching about online safety and social media awareness and is compulsory in all state-funded schools in England.Health Education includes specific content about online safety and pupils should be taught rules and principles for keeping safe online. This will include how to recognise risks, harmful content and contact, how to report issues and who to report them to. Pupils should have a strong understanding of how data is generated, collected, shared and used online, for example, how personal data is captured on social media or understanding the way that businesses may exploit the data available to them.As with all curriculum teaching, schools have the flexibility to tailor their teaching to specific cohorts and to the needs of their pupils. A full breakdown of content can be found in the RSHE statutory guidance and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.To further support this, the department has published ‘teaching online safety in school’ which highlights potentials harms and risks and suggests how they might be addressed through the curriculum. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-online-safety-in-schools.Guidance is available for parents and carers of primary and secondary age pupils. Schools and parents can use to help them with teaching about relationships and health education. This guidance can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-sex-and-health-education-guides-for-schools.The new RSHE subjects complement the embedded computing curriculum which covers the principles of online safety at all key stages, including teaching on how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, how to keep personal information private, and where to go for help and support, where pupils have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

Higher Education: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the higher technical education provider growth fund is accessible to all (1) colleges, and (2) universities.

Baroness Berridge: The Higher Technical Education Provider Growth Fund is open to both Further and Higher Education providers, including independent providers and Institutes of Technology, who meet the eligibility criteria. We are not targeting a particular geographical spread nor provider type, but encouraging applications from providers who are in a strong position to deliver Digital Higher Technical Qualifications from September 2022 onwards and construction and health and science from September 2023.When we launched the Growth Fund, we targeted our communications at both colleges and universities to raise awareness and promote this opportunity. Ahead of the application window closing on 9 July, we will be engaging further with all provider types to promote and encourage applications.

Educational Institutions: Sexual Harassment

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges by Ofsted, published on 10 June, what steps they are taking to discourage sexual harassment of young people in schools and colleges.

Baroness Berridge: The department has already introduced the new compulsory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum. From next term we expect the RSHE curriculum to be implemented in full. School leaders have been asked to dedicate time from INSET days to consider how best to do this.The department is updating statutory guidance for Keeping Children Safe in Education for this September. This will ensure schools have even clearer guidance on how to deal with reports of sexual abuse. It will support teachers and other school staff to spot the signs of abuse and to respond quickly, sensitively, and appropriately to children and young people.We will also be investing additional money to further test the impact of support and supervision models for designated safeguarding leads in up to 500 more schools.

Extracurricular Activities: Coronavirus

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what restrictions will apply to camps for schoolchildren this summer under COVID-19 regulations.

Baroness Berridge: Since 17 May, all out of school settings, which includes youth residentials and summer camps, have been able to undertake residential visits for children. From 21 June, these settings have been able to do so in groups of 30 children, in line with the position for school residential visits. The Department has provided updated guidance on ‘Protective measures for holiday or after-school clubs and other out-of-school settings for children’, which sets out how providers can conduct residential visits safely. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protective-measures-for-holiday-or-after-school-clubs-and-other-out-of-school-settings-for-children-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government has listened carefully to the views of the scientific community, in particular from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and its subgroups, when taking decisions on the best way to tackle the COVID-19 outbreak. Gathering in larger groups, including as part of residential visits, does increase the risk of transmission. COVID-19 spreads more easily indoors, especially over prolonged periods, for example in shared sleeping arrangements, which increases the risk of residential visits. The Department continues to keep these restrictions under constant review and will ensure they remain proportionate to the threat to public health posed by COVID-19.It is important that education and childcare settings continue to be supported with appropriate guidance on safety measures. The Department remains committed to ensuring that schools and colleges can effectively manage risks, create an inherently safer environment, and that we can maximise face-to-face education wherever possible. As new evidence or data emerges, the Government will act accordingly to ensure that all settings have the right safety measures in place.The advice on residential visits will be reviewed again in advance of Step 4.

Small Businesses: Training

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toprovide subsidised skills training courses for small businesses.

Baroness Berridge: The government recognises the enormous value that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute to the UK economy. The department offers a variety of skills provision to ensure individuals are equipped with the skills that businesses need, including 16-19 funding, the adult education budget (AEB) and apprenticeships. Funding for the AEB and 16-19 provision is allocated to providers, including colleges, higher education institutions, training organisations, local authorities and employers who receive Education and Skills Funding Agency-funded provision from us, to deliver education and training to learners.We will continue to work closely with all employers, including SMEs, to support learners to gain the skills that they need for work. Skills bootcamps offer free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving eligible adults the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer. We have already introduced Skills Bootcamps in 6 local areas, and we are investing a further £43 million from the National Skills Fund to expand them across England. Skills bootcamps are led by employers who work together with providers to deliver the skills that are most needed locally. We are also exploring how this model can be used for different sized organisations, including SMEs.Led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), sector-based work academy programmes (SWAPs) help employers with immediate and future employment needs by upskilling job seekers to fill locally identified vacancies. We remain committed to supporting DWP with training placements for the planned increase in the number of SWAP starts, during the financial year 2021-22.We are also committed to supporting SMEs to benefit from the high-quality training that apprenticeships offer. In the 2021-22 financial year, the funding available for investment in apprenticeships in England is £2.5 billion, which is double what was spent in the 2010-11 financial year. This includes funding for employers that do not pay the levy, who will continue to be able to access funding for 95% of apprenticeship training and assessment costs. In addition, we pay 100% of the training costs for employers with fewer than 50 employees when they take on certain apprentices, including 16 to 18-year-olds. SMEs can reserve funding for up to 10 new apprenticeship starts in the 2021-22 financial year.As announced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy this June, small businesses will be able to access a 12 week-programme delivered by leading business schools across the UK, accredited by the Small Business Charter. ‘Help to Grow: Management’ will combine a practical curriculum, with one-to-one support from a business mentor, peer-learning sessions and an alumni network. Designed to be manageable alongside full-time work, this programme will support small business leaders to develop their strategic skills with key modules covering financial management, innovation and digital adoption. By the end of the programme, participants will develop a tailored business growth plan to lead their business to its full potential. 30,000 places will be available over 3 years. The programme is 90% subsidised by the government – participants will be charged £750.

Vocational Guidance

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect career hubs to be established in every part of England; and what plans they have to support such expansion.

Baroness Berridge: Working through a partnership approach, careers hubs bring together secondary schools, colleges, employers, Local Enterprise Partnerships and other organisations to drive accelerated improvements in careers education and improve skills and opportunities for young people. Currently, more than 2,260 schools and colleges (45%) are in careers hubs.In the Skills for Jobs white paper, we confirmed our ambition to extend access to careers hubs to all secondary schools and colleges in England. We intend to continue to increase coverage this financial year to include over 3,300 schools and colleges so that more (approximately 67% of) schools and colleges can benefit from government-funded careers support. This will continue to accelerate the progress of all schools and colleges towards achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks so that all young people are equipped to make informed career and learning decisions.We intend to continue to expand in future years and the pace of expansion will depend on the outcome of Spending Review.

Training: Accountability

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking tolaunch a consultation on introducing new accountability structures underpinning the delivery of local skills improvement plans, and related matters; and when they plan to launch this consultation.

Baroness Berridge: In the Skills for Jobs white paper, we set out our vision to transform further education. We want people to get the advanced technical and higher technical skills they need to get good jobs. Colleges’ place at the centre of their local communities and economies means that they are key to unlocking opportunities across the country and to building back better.As a key step to deliver our vision, we will consult on a new funding and accountability system for further education. The consultation will address the underlying system of complex funding for adult skills and limited focus on outcomes through proposals to reform adult skills funding and the wider accountability regime for colleges and other grant funded providers. It will describe how Local Skills Improvement Plans fit into this wider funding and accountability landscape. We expect to publish the consultation in the coming months.

Education: Chromosome Abnormalities

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure children with (1) DiGeorge syndrome, and (2) other genetic conditions, receive specialist support to address and prevent any loss of learning and social skills further to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Berridge: We are committed to helping all children, including those with genetic disorders, recover from the impact of lost learning during the COVID-19 outbreak. Following the most recent announcement on education recovery on 2 June, we have now allocated in total over £3 billion to support children and students. We are targeting resources and support at those with the greatest need and special schools will receive additional funding to ensure one-to-one tutoring for their pupils.Within special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) funding, we have increased the high needs funding for children and young people with the most complex needs, from £5 billion in 2013 to over £8 billion in the 2021-22 financial year. The additional £730 million funding that we are providing this year is a result of increasing demand.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners' Release: Females

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure women released from prison will not be released to homelessness.

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure women released from prison are (1) supported by the Ministry of Justice's temporary accommodation service, and (2) are supported into permanent accommodation.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Official statistics published in July 2020 show that over 6,000 women were released from custody in the year to March 2020, with 51% going into secure, long-term accommodation and a further 7% to approved premises; 18% were recorded as rough sleeping or homeless at the point of release. We are investing more than £20m in supporting prison leavers at risk of homelessness into temporary accommodation. Individuals released from prison will be provided up to 12 weeks of temporary accommodation and will be supported into long-term settled accommodation before the end of that 12-week period. Initially launching in five national probation regions, the service will support around 3,000 offenders in its first year and will be commencing this Summer. It will be in operation during the next financial year 2021-22, with a view to scaling up and rolling out nationally. The service will take account of the needs of women, including those with complex needs and accommodation provision will be dedicated to single gender usage as required. Community Probation Practitioners, working together with local partners, will be responsible for ensuring that vulnerable female prison leavers receive appropriate support and are provided with housing beyond the 12 weeks’ emergency accommodation.HMPPS will work in conjunction with MHCLG’s announced funding to support both male and female prison leavers at risk of homelessness into private rental tenancies. Funded schemes to support women will be developed to recognise their specific needs and will be part of plans to secure settled accommodation by the end of the 12 weeks’ temporary accommodation provided by HMPPS. In 2020, Hestia Battersea was changed from male to female Approved Premises (AP) to give better geographic spread of AP for women, becoming the first AP for women in London since 2008. In addition, Eden House, the first new AP in over thirty years, will open in June supporting female offenders.

Prison Sentences

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Indeterminate Sentence for Public Protection for prisoners imprisoned prior to 2012.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The IPP sentence was abolished in late 2012 by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act. This did not apply retrospectively as the Government at the time took the view it would not be right to alter sentences that had been lawfully imposed having regard to an assessment of dangerousness; re-sentencing these offenders would undermine public protection and result in high risk prisoners being released into the community, thereby exposing the public to considerable risk of serious harm. Therefore, those who received an IPP sentence will continue to serve their IPP sentence.Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) remains committed to supporting the progression of all serving the IPP sentence, whether in prison or in the community. There has been a substantial reduction in the number of IPP prisoners who have never been released, from over 6,000 in 2012 to 1,784 at the end of March 2021.

Prisoners' Release: Females

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure no woman is released from prison to homelessness.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Official statistics published in July 2020 show that over 6,000 women were released from custody in the year to March 2020, with 51% going into secure, long-term accommodation and a further 7% to approved premises; 18% were recorded as rough sleeping or homeless at the point of release. We are investing more than £20m in supporting prison leavers at risk of homelessness into temporary accommodation. Individuals released from prison will be provided up to 12 weeks of temporary accommodation and will be supported into long-term settled accommodation before the end of that 12-week period. Initially launching in five national probation regions, the service will support around 3,000 offenders in its first year and will be commencing this Summer. It will be in operation during the next financial year 2021-22, with a view to scaling up and rolling out nationally. The service will take account of the needs of women, including those with complex needs and accommodation provision will be dedicated to single gender usage as required. Community Probation Practitioners, working together with local partners, will be responsible for ensuring that vulnerable female prison leavers receive appropriate support and are provided with housing beyond the 12 weeks’ emergency accommodation. HMPPS will work in conjunction with MHCLG’s announced funding to support both male and female prison leavers at risk of homelessness into private rental tenancies. Funded schemes to support women will be developed to recognise their specific needs and will be part of plans to secure settled accommodation by the end of the 12 weeks’ temporary accommodation provided by HMPPS. In 2020, Hestia Battersea was changed from male to female Approved Premises (AP) to give better geographic spread of AP for women, becoming the first AP for women in London since 2008. In addition, Eden House, the first new AP in over thirty years, will open in June supporting female offenders.

Prisoners' Release: Females

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the duty to refer under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, with respect to vulnerable women leaving prison.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: This Government is committed to ending rough sleeping this Parliament and believes everyone deserves a roof over their head. Everyone leaving prison should have somewhere safe and secure to live; accommodation enables offenders to hold down a job and reduces the likelihood of them re-offending. Work is being done across government between the Ministry of Justice, MHCLG and the Welsh Government, to address the barriers offenders face in securing suitable accommodation and we are aware of the specific complex needs of women prison leavers. In preparation for the launch of the new unified probation service, MoJ have published a policy framework in support of the Homelessness Reduction Act (2017) Duty to Refer process, which will mandate the roles and responsibilities of both prison and probation staff in making effective referrals. The operation of the new policy framework will be monitored and reviewed on a quarterly basis with MHCLG and any adjustments to the process incorporated into future iterations of the policy framework. To support the oversight of its COVID-19 response, HMPPS set up seven Homelessness Prevention Teams to help find accommodation for offenders upon release. These teams have been very successful in securing temporary accommodation outcomes, including short-term rented accommodation and building new local partnerships with local authorities and housing partners.  The HPTs continue to operate. We are investing more than £20m in supporting prison leavers at risk of homelessness into temporary accommodation. Individuals released from prison will be provided up to 12 weeks of temporary accommodation and will be supported into long-term settled accommodation before the end of that 12-week period. Initially launching in five national probation regions, the service will support around 3,000 offenders in its first year and will be commencing this Summer. It will be in operation during the next financial year 2021-22, with a view to scaling up and rolling out nationally. The service will take account of the needs of women, including those with complex needs and accommodation provision will be dedicated to single gender usage as required. We are also introducing and testing a new specialist housing advisor role in twenty prisons, including within the female estate. The new role will seek to strengthen links between prisons, through the gate teams and local authorities to improve accommodation outcomes for those at risk of homelessness. Subject to evaluation, the intention is to scale up and roll-out nationally across all resettlement prisons.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Turkey: Bilateral Aid

Lord Collins of Highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much bilateral official development assistance they expect to provide to Turkey in 2021/22.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Full budgets per country and a final audited spend for 2020/21 will be published in due course, including in our regular Statistics on International Development and in the FCDO Annual Report and Accounts.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement byDefense for Children International–Palestine on 11 June that Israeli (1) forces, and (2) settlers, have killed at least 168 Palestinian children in the Occupied Palestinian Territoriessince 2013.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government strongly condemns all forms of violence and incitement to violence, including the use of racist, hateful or anti-Palestinian language and any actions that could stir up hatred and prejudice. We are concerned by the number of Palestinians, including children, killed in the West Bank and Gaza. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we urge the Government of Israel to conduct swift and transparent investigations. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance to bring those responsible to justice and end the culture of impunity. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Hong Kong: British Nationals Abroad

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British citizens are (1) facing charges, or (2) are imprisoned under (a) the National Security Law in Hong Kong, (b) Hong Kong's Public Order Ordinance, and (c) Hong Kong's Crimes Ordinance; and what assessment they have made of reports that at least four British citizens are being mistreated or tortured in detention in Hong Kong.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We do not comment on individual cases. Consular Transparency Data for 2020 can be found on GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-commonwealth-development-office-consular-data-2021). This includes the number of new arrest or detention cases that have been opened by consular staff relating to British nationals in Hong Kong, and the number of allegations of torture or mistreatment relating to Hong Kong that have been reported to consular officials. In 2020, consular officials received fewer than five allegations of torture or mistreatment from British nationals relating to Hong Kong.We take all allegations of torture and mistreatment very seriously and will follow up with action appropriate to the circumstances of the case. Although we cannot investigate torture or mistreatment allegations, with the individual's permission, we can raise them with the local authorities, demanding an end to the mistreatment, and that the incident is investigated and the perpetrators are brought to justice. The assistance we can, and cannot, provide to British nationals abroad is set out in the publication: Support for British nationals abroad: A Guide on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-britishnationals-abroad-a-guide).The UK will not look the other way on Hong Kong. We will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, call out the violation of their rights and freedoms, and hold China to their international obligations.

Sri Lanka: Coronavirus

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to deliver 600,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to the government of Sri Lanka, to enable the availability of second doses amongst the population of that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK government is concerned about the Covid-10 situation in Sri Lanka. The Minister for South Asia Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed this with the Sri Lankan High Commissioner on 10 May and with the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister on 17 June.The UK has consistently stressed that we are all facing the same pandemic and the threat of further waves and variants of the virus makes cooperation between all our partners and the UK ever more vital and important.The UK remains committed to equitable access to safe and effective vaccines. As the multilateral mechanism set up to support international co-operation on vaccines, COVAX remains best-placed to allocate vaccines fairly and to where they will be most effective. The UK was one of the earliest and largest donors to COVAX donating £548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment. Our early funding gave COVAX the purchase power it needed to secure deals with manufacturers to supply internationally-approved vaccines for up to 92 low and middle income countries. So far, COVAX has helped deliver over 81m doses to 129 countries and territories, including Sri Lanka.The Prime Minister announced on 11 June that the UK will donate 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines within the next year, with 30 million of those donated by the end of 2021. 80% of the vaccines donated will go to COVAX. This was part of an agreement with G7 partners to donate 1 billion doses by June 2022. We will set out more detail in due course and will continue to discuss with G7 partners the ambition to end the pandemic.

India: Community Relations and Violence

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether elections have inflamed tensions and violence between religious and ethnic groups in India; and what steps they are taking to promote freedom of religion or belief in that country following the intercommunal violence in West Bengal.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support theyprovide to India to prevent political violence.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We recognise that the state assembly elections in West Bengal were divisive, and we look to the Indian and West Bengal authorities to address this through inclusive social and economic policies in the recovery from the pandemic. Human rights form a regular part of our dialogue with India and of our frontline line outreach and project work. Most recently, I discussed the situation for Christians with India's Minister of State for Home Affairs on 15 March. Our Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi also discussed UK Parliamentary interest in India's minorities with officials from India's Ministry of External Affairs on 5 January. The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India also regularly meet religious representatives and have run projects promoting minority rights.

India: Violence

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of COVID-19on intercommunal violence in India.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We recognise that there have been reports of discrimination against religious minorities in India linked to COVID-19. The situation for minorities varies across India depending on location, socio-economic background, and proportion of religious minorities. India's strength, like that of the UK's, is in its diversity and we are committed to supporting the continuation of that. This year, the British High Commission supported an interfaith leadership programme for a cohort of emerging Indian faith leaders, including Christians and Muslims, creating an opportunity to exchange expertise on leading modern, inclusive faith communities, and promoting values of tolerance and multi-culturalism. During my visit to India in March, I [Lord Ahmad] discussed the situation for Christians in India with Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kishan Reddy.

India: Violence

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have madeof reports of widespread post-election violence purportedly targeting Hindu communities in West Bengal, India; and what representations they have made to the government of India about such reports.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The British Deputy High Commission in Kolkata has been monitoring the situation and assesses the violence to have been political rather than communal. We welcome West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's call for calm.We understand that India's Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions seeking a special investigation into the post-election violence in Bengal. We await further details of what next steps the Supreme Court will take. Where we have concerns, we will raise them directly with the Government of India.

Israel: Arms Trade

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether any of the weapons used by the government of Israel in its recent military activities in Gaza contain components manufactured in the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: HM Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. We consider all export applications thoroughly against a strict risk assessment framework and keep all licences under careful and continual review as standard. HM Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.

Jerusalem: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reports that demolition orders have beenhave been issued toresidents of the al-Bustan area in Silwan, East Jerusalem; and in particular, (1) the21-day notice thatresidents were given to leave their homes, and (2) the requirement that residents either demolish the houses themselves or pay the municipal authority to do so.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises the issue of forced evictions from their homes with the Government of Israel. The Fourth Geneva Convention, which applies to all occupied territories, prohibits demolitions or forced evictions absent military necessity. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We monitor the situation in Silwan closely, and officials regularly visit and attend related court hearings. We continue to urge Israel to cease such actions.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatdiscussions they have had with the government of Israel to ensure that freedom of the press is protected in (1) East Jerusalem, (2) Gaza, and (3)the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to the protection of media freedom around the world. We continue to reiterate the importance of a free and open press, and freedom of expression to the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority.

UK Relations with EU: Northern Ireland

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Her Majesty's British ambassador to France has discussed the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland with the foreign minister of France.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Ministers and Senior Officials regularly engage with their French counterparts on a range of priority issues. Her Majesty's Ambassador to France has discussed the Northern Ireland Protocol on a number of occasions with Senior Officials and Ministers in the French Government. The Prime Minister and President Macron also discussed the Protocol in the margins of the G7 Leaders Summit on 12 June, where the Prime Minister made clear his desire for pragmatism and compromise on all sides but underlined that protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions was paramount.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Sheikh: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will (1) list each nation to which they have delivered AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines as part of the World Health Organisation COVAX programme, and (2) list the quantity of vaccines they have delivered to each nation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As of 15 June, COVAX had delivered 87 million doses to 131 participating countries and territories. UNICEF is supporting COVAX with the delivery of these vaccines, and details of what each country has received in terms of doses and quantities can be found at https://www.unicef.org/supply/covid-19-vaccine-market-dashboard.

Israeli Settlements: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risksposed to Palestinians in the Occupied Territories from armed Israeli settlers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance to bring those responsible to justice. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Hebron: Demolition

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to protect Palestinian homes in theneighbourhood adjacent to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron from being demolished.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises the issue of demolition of Palestinian property with the Government of Israel. We continue to urge Israel to cease such actions, which in all but the most exceptional cases are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. The Fourth Geneva Convention, which applies to all occupied territories, prohibits demolitions or forced evictions absent military necessity. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to Palestinians and is harmful to efforts to promote peace.

Moldova: Bilateral Aid

Lord Collins of Highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how muchbilateral official development assistance they expect to provide to Moldova in 2021/22.

Lord Collins of Highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much bilateral official development assistance they expect to provide to Belarus in 2021/22.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Annual country level allocations will be published in our Annual Report later this year in the usual way, and programme level funding is regularly updated on DevTracker.Final country data is published in the Statistics for International Development each year. Final 2021 spend will be published in this document in autumn 2022.

Overseas Aid: Drugs and Surgery

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 10 June (HL596), whetherthey will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment they have made of the report by Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical DiseasesOur open letter on the UK cuts: A tragic blow for 'global Britain' and the world's most vulnerable people, published on 29 April; and in particular its findings that most of the 770 million medicines donated by pharmaceutical companies will not be delivered because of cuts in Overseas Development Assistance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO is currently working with implementing partners, drug companies, donors, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to exit the programme Accelerating the Sustainable Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ASCEND), as responsibly as possible within financial constraints. We are continuing to distribute medicines in the most urgent cases, and as these are ongoing, it is not possible to assess the impact on the number of donated medicines distributed.The latest target for the total number of treatments to be delivered by the ASCEND programme between 2019 and 2022 was 600 million. Hundreds of millions of treatments have been distributed to date under this programme, the full results of which will be published by early 2022.

Albania: Bilateral Aid

Lord Collins of Highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much bilateral official development assistance they expect to provide to Albania in 2021/22.

Lord Collins of Highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much bilateral official development assistance they expect to provide to Kosovo in 2021/22.

Lord Collins of Highbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much bilateral official development assistance they expect to provide to North Macedonia in 2021/22.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Annual country-level allocations will be published in the FCDO's 2021 Annual Report later this year, and programme-level funding is regularly updated on DevTracker.Final country data is published in the Statistics for International Development each year, and spend for 2021 will be published in this document in autumn 2022.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Deployment

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many military personnel are on placements in (1) international non-governmental organisations, (2) civilian organisations, and (3) academic institutions.

Baroness Goldie: The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur a disproportionate cost.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Trees

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the numbers ofrecorded ancient and veteran trees in England are increasing or declining.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government does not have a statutory duty to collate numbers of ancient and veteran trees. The Natural England and Forestry Commission Standing Advice on Ancient Woodland, Ancient and Veteran Trees, available at gov.uk/guidance/ancient-woodland-and-veteran-trees-protection-surveys-licences, directs users to the Woodland Trust's Ancient Tree Inventory which is collated by volunteers around the country: https://ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk/. The Ancient Tree Inventory currently lists 160,000 ancient, veteran and notable trees across the UK.In 2019, we also announced that Government would give the Woodland Trust £210,000 to work with Natural England to update the Ancient Woodland Inventory which identifies over 53,000 ancient woodland sites in England.

Trees

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they differentiate between ancient and veteran trees; and if so, what is their definition of each type.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Ancient and veteran trees can be individual trees or groups of trees within wood pastures, historic parkland, hedgerows, orchards, parks, or other areas. They are often found outside ancient woodlands. An ancient tree is considered an irreplaceable habitat. Attributes can include its great age, size, condition, biodiversity value as a result of significant wood decay and the habitat created from the ageing process, and cultural and heritage value. All ancient trees are veteran trees, but not all veteran trees are ancient. A veteran tree is also considered an irreplaceable habitat. It may not be very old, but it has decay features, such as branch death and hollowing. These features contribute to its biodiversity, cultural and heritage value.

Trees: Environment Protection

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact, if any, that ancient and veteran trees may have on particular ecosystems.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Ancient and veteran trees are both irreplaceable habitats. Ancient trees can have significant biodiversity value as a result of significant wood decay and the habitat created from the ageing process, proving important for wildlife, including rare and threatened species. A veteran tree may not be very old, but it has decay features, such as branch death and hollowing. These features contribute to its biodiversity, cultural and heritage value.

Trees: Conservation

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need, if any, to improve the protection of ancient and veteran trees in England.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The irreplaceable nature of ancient and veteran trees and woodland is recognised in our 25 Year Environment Plan. We therefore strengthened the protection of ancient and veteran trees through the National Planning Policy Framework and guidance to planners. These outline that developments should be refused if they would lead to the loss and deterioration of ancient and veteran trees, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and suitable compensation measures.In 2019, we announced that Government would give the Woodland Trust £210,000 to work with Natural England to update the Ancient Woodland Inventory which identifies over 53,000 ancient woodland sites in England. Having an up-to-date inventory will make it easier for us all to protect this important habitat. Updates to the Ancient Woodland Inventory will also seek to identify further ancient wood pasture sites, which contain a significant number of ancient and veteran trees. By adding these sites to the inventory, we will strengthen the protection of ancient and veteran trees in England.On 18 May we published the England Trees Action Plan which set out our long-term vision for trees, including for ancient and veteran trees. We announced a number of measures to improve protection of our ancient and veteran trees.Introducing a new category of Long-Established Woodland. These are woodlands that have been in situ since 1840. We will consult on the protections these woodlands are afforded in the planning system, recognising their high ecological and societal value.We will update the Ancient Woodland Inventory to review the whole of England. This will include mapping smaller ancient woodland sites down to 0.25 hectares in size. The original inventory only mapped sites down to 2 hectares, missing many smaller woods which are important for landscape-scale habitat connectivity.We will also update the Keepers of Time policy on management of ancient woodland, veteran trees, and other semi natural woodland.

Home Office

Immigration: Data Protection

Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe Court of Appeal's judgment of 26 May against theSecretary of State on the immigration exemption clause in the Data Protection Act ([2021] EWCA Civ 800); and what steps they intend to take in response.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We will not be appealing and will comply with the court’s ruling.We are currently considering the next steps in order to do this.

British Nationality: Children

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Court of Appealjudgment in PRCBC & O v Secretary of State for the Home Department on 18 February, whether they will complete the assessment provided for in section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009; and if so, (1) when the assessment will be completed, and (2) whether it will be published.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office has acknowledged the Court of Appeal’s judgment and has committed to reviewing the child citizenship registration fee in line with its duties under Section 55.This review is on-going and the results will be published in due course.

Educational Visits: EU Nationals

Lord Coaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many schoolchildren from the EU who visited UK schools in the last year used identity cards to enter the UK.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We do not record specific details of the number of children from the EU who have travelled to the UK on national identity cards for the purpose of school visits.

Public Sector: Corruption

Lord Rooker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people who (1) pay a bribe, or (2) use a personal connection, in order to access public services in the UK; and what assessment they have made of comparative numbers in the UK’s main trading partner countries.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK regularly assesses the threat from bribery and corruption, including through intelligence assessments and research.The most recent published update on implementation of the UK Anti-Corruption Strategy includes comparative global indicators of national data on bribery and corruption threats. The UK also actively participates in reviews of its adherence to international standards, including: the UN Convention against Corruption; the OECD Convention on Combatting Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions; the Council of Europe Group of States against Corruption.These processes allow the UK to compare its performance and systems with that of other countries.

Refugees: Resettlement

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the UK Resettlement Scheme since March; how many people have been resettled to the UK since March; from which countries those people originated; and, further to their announcement on 17 June 2019, what progress they have made in introducing the mechanism for emergency resettlement.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK Resettlement Scheme commenced in February 2021, immediately following the successful completion of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme through which 20,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria were given sanctuary in the UK. The UK Resettlement Scheme continues to successfully resettle refugees, as local authority and community sponsor capacity allows, and as we recover from the pandemic.Statistics under the scheme are published through official statistics at quarterly intervals. The next set of statistics will be published in July and will include the number of people resettled since March. These are available from:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-releaseThe Emergency Resettlement Mechanism is currently in development. It will ensure the resettlement scheme allows refugees at exceptional and immediate risk to be resettled more quickly.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing: Fire Prevention

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe fire at the Blue apartment block in Leeds on 8 June, what plans they have, if any, to organise an emergency roundtable meeting with (1) developers, (2) insurance companies, and (3) finance providers, in relation to flammable cladding and other fire safety defects present in residential developments.

Lord Greenhalgh: The impact on residents living in high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding is clearly understood and recognised. That is why the Government is investing over £5 billion to remediate high rise residential buildings with unsafe cladding.Flat owners in buildings between 11 and 18 metres, will be protected from unaffordable costs of cladding removal with a generous government-backed finance scheme, capped at £50 a month.The Department and Ministers frequently engage with building owners and developers on their responsibilities for building safety and remediation, as well as insurance and finance providers on their market response to the challenges.

Buildings: Insulation

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of leaseholders unable to sell their leases because of (1) cladding issues not addressed by the financialscheme to support cladding removal, and (2) fire safety issues other than cladding.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Department does not hold the data in the form requested.

Buildings: Insulation

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the updated guidance on external wall fire review processes (the EWS1 form) will have on the ability of leaseholders to sell their leases.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Royal Institution of Charted Surveyors (RICS) guidance on the proportionate use of the EWS1 process is a step forward in terms of clarity for consumers and a consistent, more proportionate approach to valuation assessments. This ensures that EWS1 assessments are only requested when absolutely necessary. RICS are currently monitoring the impact of the updated guidance.MHCLG estimates that if lenders which use the EWS1 process follow the RICS guidance, nearly 500,000 flat owners will not need to ask their building owner to commission an EWS1 form.So far, most major lenders, representing roughly 80% of the mortgage market, have said that they will adopt the RICS guidance or already take a markedly less risk-averse approach.Recent data from one major lender suggests that an EWS1 already exists for 50% of mortgage applications where one is requested, and we are working with industry to ensure this picture only improves.

Buildings: Fire Prevention

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to give residents, tenants and leaseholders the right to access their building's fire risk assessment.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Building Safety Bill seeks to provide residents, tenants and leaseholders of high rise buildings with further and more detailed information about the safety measures in their building upon request. This information may include full, current and historical fire risk assessments: further detail will be set out in due course.

UK Community Renewal Fund

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the percentage allocation of funds under the Community Renewal Fund to each country in the United Kingdom.

Lord Greenhalgh: Although open to all places, to ensure the UK Community Renewal Fund funding reaches the most in need, we have identified 100 priority places based on an index of economic resilience across Great Britain. The UK Community Renewal Fund will prioritise applications that target these 100 places, as well as having a good contribution to strategic fit and delivery / effectiveness. The lead authority of each of the 100 priority places will also receive capacity funding to help them with the required bid coordination and appraisal for that place.We are taking a different approach to delivering the UK Community Renewal Fund in Northern Ireland, to take account of the different local government landscape in Northern Ireland compared to Great Britain. Project applicants in Northern Ireland will submit bids directly to the UK Government for assessment and approval.We will announce all funding decisions from later this year.

UK Community Renewal Fund

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the Northern Ireland Executive regarding allocations under the Community Renewal Fund.

Lord Greenhalgh: The UK Community Renewal Fund aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches and will invest in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment.The UK Government is running a national competition against a fixed national allocation in Northern Ireland, equating to £11 million of funding.  All areas in Northern Ireland are eligible for funding and project applicants should submit bids directly to the UK Government for assessment and approval, by 18 June 2021. The UK Government will issue grant agreements to successful projects in Northern Ireland.Where appropriate, the UK Government will seek advice from the Devolved Administrations -including Northern Ireland- on shortlisted projects to ensure that the project is deliverable and complementary to other provision.

Derelict Land

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to encourage housing development on brownfield sites.

Lord Greenhalgh: This Government is providing strong encouragement to local authorities, communities and housebuilders to make the most of suitable brownfield land.Our National Planning Policy Framework asks local authorities to give great weight to re-using brownfield, and every authority publishes a register of brownfield land suitable for housing. Government gives significant financial assistance for the take-up of brownfield sites and for the necessary infrastructure– including the £4.95 billion Home Building Fund, the £400 million Brownfield Housing Fund and the £75 million Brownfield Land Release Fund. There is tax relief for land remediation, and wider permitted development rights allow yet more homes to be created.Our further reforms of the planning system in England will ensure that communities have more meaningful opportunities to engage on local plans that set the rules for development in their areas, to produce design codes that have real teeth, and to have their say on the detailed aspects of planning applications. The reforms will also ensure that housing schemes come forward in areas identified for growth, while ensuring that valued countryside remains protected

Oxford-Cambridge Arc

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Greenhalgh on 1 June (HL255), whether they will providea list of all meetings of the Oxford–Cambridge Arc since 2019; and whether they plan to place the minutes of (1) these meetings, and (2) any future ones in the Library of the House.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Inter-Ministerial Group for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc will be meeting shortly following re-establishment.The Oxford-Cambridge Arc Portfolio Board is regularly convened, with senior representation from DEFRA, BEIS, DfT, DIT, HMT, No10, IPA and chaired by MHCLG.The management and recording of these Groups and Boards will continue in accordance with Department requirements and procedures.

Cabinet Office

Honours: South Yorkshire

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many awards above OBE level weremade to people who were (1) living in, and (2) working or providing service to, the South Yorkshire area at the time of their nomination for The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2021.

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many awards above OBE level weremade to people who were (1) living in, and (2) working or providing service to, the Sheffield City Region at the time of their nomination for The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2021.

Lord True: The Government publishes honours transparency data broken down by both town/city and county. Data is collected using the county the recipient gives as their correspondence address (usually their home address rather than their places of origin). This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office. The transparency data for the Birthday Honours List 2021 can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-queens-birthday-honours-2021.As noted in PQ HL11724, answered on 19 January 2021, the Government does not collate data against political administrative areas and we cannot provide information regarding honours awarded in the Sheffield City Region.

Public First: Contracts

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the recent court judgment which found that they had acted unlawfully when awarding a contract to Public First, what steps they will now take to ensure that all contracts which they enter into are lawful.

Lord True: The Government has already addressed procedural issues raised by this case, through the implementation of the recommendations made by Nigel Boardman’s review of COVID-19 communications contracts. We have published updated guidance on the options available to contracting authorities when undertaking procurements in an emergency (PPN01/21) and the management of conflicts of interest in commercial environments (PPN04/21). Further updated transparency guidance is due to be published shortly.The Government’s Procurement Green Paper sets out how we will reform public procurement to simplify processes, reduce bureaucracy and create a fair, open and competitive system.

Honours

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many honours, broken down by each award level, were received in each region or nation in the UK; and what percentage of the population of each such region or nation that number represents.

Lord True: In supporting the levelling up agenda, Her Majesty’s Government would like to see representation in the honours system from the length and breadth of the United Kingdom, reflecting the extraordinary contributions made across every part of this country, with a real focus in recognising parts of the country often overlooked. The information requested is enclosed in the attached table; it excludes data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List. Data is collected using the county that the recipient gives as their correspondence address; this is usually their home address and does not necessarily reflect their area of origin. Figures on representation in London and South East England should be viewed in that light. There are also wide variations within localities. Whilst the ceremonial counties of the Lord Lieutenancy areas make precise comparisons challenging, I would note for example, that Greater Manchester received 3.2% of the awards (relative to 4.2% local authority share of the population) and West Yorkshire has 2.8% of the awards (relative to a 3.5% share of the population) – far greater representation than many other parts of the country. Clearly, there is more to do, particularly to encourage more nominations for outstanding contributions from across all parts of the United Kingdom. Response to PQHL1047 - Table attachment (pdf, 48.4KB)

Government Departments: Data Protection

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy for theuse of self-destructing messages in communications with Government departments where no record of these messages is retained.

Lord True: The Government acts in accordance with the Code of Practice on the management of records issued under section 46 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This includes advice on the disposal of ephemeral information and how to keep records needed for business, regulatory, legal and accountability purposes. The Government is reviewing how guidance can be updated to reflect contemporary information management practice in the modern digital working environment.

Treasury

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent consideration they have given to ensuring that there is (1) compensation, and (2) support, available to those affected by the collapse of Equitable Life.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The methodology for calculating payments to Equitable Life policyholders was published in 2011. The Equitable Life Payment Scheme closed to claims in 2015 and there are no plans to reopen the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding allocation previously made to it.

Self-employed: Finance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional steps they are taking to provide financial support to industries with large proportions of freelancer workers.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government recognises the extreme disruption the necessary actions to combat Covid-19 are having on industries with large proportions of freelance workers. Eligible businesses may already benefit from available employment schemes, government grant and loan schemes, and a reduction in VAT and business rates relief. At Budget, the Chancellor extended many of these schemes beyond the end of the Roadmap to accommodate even the most cautious view about the time it might take to exit restrictions. For example, the Government announced at Budget that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September, with a fourth and a final fifth grant. This provides certainty to self-employed individuals, including many freelancers, as the economy reopens. The design of the SEISS, including the eligibility requirement that an individual’s trading profits must be at least equal to their non-trading income, means it is targeted at those who are most reliant on their self-employment income. However, the SEISS is just one element of an unprecedented package of support for the self-employed. As well as the business support outlined above, the temporary £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance was extended at Budget for six months, and the Government also extended the suspension of the Minimum Income Floor for three months, to the end of July 2021, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award can continue to take into account their lower earnings. At Budget, the Government also extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for a further five months from May until the end of September 2021. Furloughed workers in the UK will continue to receive more generous support than those in many other countries, as the CJRS ensures employees receive 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to £2500 per month, until the end of September. The CJRS has been available to all employers with a PAYE system and all employees on PAYE regardless of their employment contract. As such, freelancers and those on short term contracts could be eligible for the CJRS if they are on PAYE and meet the eligibility criteria. In addition, the Culture Recovery Fund has already supported over 5000 organisations including theatres, music venues, comedy clubs and festivals, helping to enable performances to restart, protect jobs and create opportunities for freelancers.

Inflation: USA

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe impact on the UK economy of the current level of inflation in the USA.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: In May, US CPI inflation was 5% and the core measure of CPI inflation was 3.8%. The increase in US inflation is expected to be temporary since recent rises have been driven by large price rises in certain sectors as the economy reopens, and issues with temporary supply bottlenecks, though some uncertainty remains. In the UK, monetary policy is set by the operationally independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England to meet the Government’s inflation target; there have been minimal spillovers from the increase in US inflation to the UK so far although some factors, such as commodity prices, have affected inflation in both countries.

Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to assess the methodology used to calculate the money owed to Equitable Life policyholders as part of the compensation scheme established under the Equitable Life (Payments) Act 2010, and (2) the accuracy of the figures produced by that methodology.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The methodology for calculating payments to Equitable Life policyholders was published in 2011. The Equitable Life Payment Scheme closed to claims in 2015 and there are no plans to reopen the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding allocation previously made to it.

Inheritance Tax

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what categories ofpersons are exempt from the normal application of death duties and under what circumstances; and which legislation enables any such exemptions.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The normal application of death duties is set out in the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (IHTA 1984) which includes a number of exemptions for specific categories of persons. For example, Armed Forces personnel who die in active service are exempt from inheritance tax under section 154(1)(a) IHTA 1984. IHTA 1984 does not apply in respect of the Sovereign who is not legally liable to pay inheritance tax. The Memorandum of Understanding on Royal Taxation sets out the tax position for the Sovereign and The Prince of Wales.

Small Businesses: Government Assistance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent report by Simply Business The impact of Covid-19 on UK small business, published on 9 June; andwhat assessment they have made of the finding that 81 per cent of small businesses do not feel they have received enough support from government.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Throughout the pandemic, the Government has sought to protect people’s jobs and livelihoods while also supporting businesses and public services across the UK. The Government put in place an economic package of support totalling £352 billion through the furlough and self-employed income support schemes, support for businesses through grants and loans, business rates and VAT relief. At the Budget, the Chancellor announced a generous extension of economic support to reflect the easing of restrictions and enable the private sector to bounce back as quickly as possible. As the Chancellor put it in his Budget speech: “we’re going long, extending our support well beyond the end of the Roadmap to accommodate even the most cautious view about the time it might take to exit the restrictions”. The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) announced at Budget 2021 ensures lenders continue to have the confidence to lend, ensuring viable businesses, including small businesses, continue to have access to Government-backed finance needed throughout 2021. The scheme launched on 6 April 2021, following the closure of the emergency schemes to new loan applications on 31 March 2021, and will run until 31 December 2021. The scheme operates UK-wide, providing an 80% guarantee to lenders for term loans, overdrafts, and invoice and asset finance. At Budget, it was also announced that local authorities in England will receive a top-up worth a total of £425m to the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund. This, combined with the £1.6 billion previously allocated, means local authorities will have received over £2bn of discretionary grant funding to support businesses which are not eligible for Restart Grants but which are nonetheless experiencing a severe impact on their business due to public health restrictions. Nearly half of the £2bn is still with local authorities and yet to be allocated. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was introduced to help employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus to retain their employees and protect the UK economy. All businesses across the UK can access the scheme, with employees receiving 80% of their usual salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. At Budget the government extended the CJRS until the end of September 2021, to support businesses and employees through the next stage of the pandemic. The economy now is in a stronger position than it was last autumn, when businesses also contributed up to 20 per cent of wage costs.In line with the extension to the CJRS, the government announced at Budget 2021 that the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September, with a fourth and a final fifth grant. This provides certainty to business as the economy reopens and means the SEISS will continue to be one of the most generous schemes for the self-employed in the world. To further support small businesses to prosper after Covid, and improve their growth, productivity and resilience, the government is introducing the £520m Help to Grow programme. Announced at Spring Budget, Help to Grow will support over 100k SMEs to improve their management practices through world-class training delivering through UK’s leading business schools, and digital adoption through a new online platform and voucher. Eligible businesses will be able to get 50% off the costs of pre-approved software up to £5,000. As restrictions have been lifted, it is right that we ask employers to contribute more to strike the balance between supporting the economy as it opens up, continuing to provide support and protect incomes, and ensuring incentives are in place to get people back to work.

SME Brexit Support Fund

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are takingto ensure that the Brexit Support Fund is easily accessible to small businesses; and what steps they are taking to increase applications.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The SME Brexit Support Fund was designed specifically for small businesses and we’ve worked closely with Business representative organisation to promote it. The Government is providing extensive guidance to businesses to ensure that the SME Brexit Support Fund is accessible to small businesses to pay for practical support, including training and/or professional advice. This guidance includes videos, webinars and step-by-step guides.HMRC continue to work closely with a wide range of business representative organisations and trade associations to help businesses engage with new requirements, including through the latest public information campaign, cross-Government industry steering groups and events to increase application to the SME Brexit Support Fund.PwC, the administrators of the grant, have emailed over 20,000 businesses who have expressed an interest in the scheme to re-engage unconverted registrants and those with partially completed applications. They have also introduced an outbound calling team and have spoken to over 1800 potential applicants to encourage them to submit an application, providing assistance as necessary.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Reclaim Fund

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 15 June (HL711), whether they will Place in the Library of the House a copy of the high level policy directions issued to The National Lottery Community Fund on the allocation of dormant assets funding.

Baroness Barran: The latest policy directions issued by the Secretary of State on the allocation of dormant assets funding are published by The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF) as part of its annual report. These policy directions will be the most recent at the time of TNCLF reporting. The annual report for 2019-20 is in the House Library and the annual report for 2020-21 will be laid before Parliament shortly.

Creative Industries Council

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 7 June (HL511), whether they will state on which dates the Creative Industries Council has held quarterly meetings since 6 July 2020; whether they intend to publish the minutes of such meetings; and if so, when.

Baroness Barran: The Creative Industries Council has met twice since 6th July 2020: on 27 October 2020 and 24 February 2021. Minutes for these meetings are being finalised for publication on the Gov.uk website shortly.